Submarine mine.



A. P. BROOMELL.

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 14. 1909.

940,506. Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A WM- HZBEPT ERGO/WE'LL b/lq ATTORNEYS A. P. BROOMELL.

SUBMARINE MINE.

. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1909.

ATTOH/VE Y8 A-. P. BROOMBLL.

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14.1909.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

' 3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

WITNESSES I 'l/VI/E/VTOR flABf/ff f? 5/?00MEZA,

ATTORNE V8 ALBERT P. BROOMELL, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUBMAR'INE MINE.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Nov, 16, 1909.

. Application filed May 14, 1909. Serial No; 495,988.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, ALBERT P. BRooMnLn,

a citizen of the United States, and aresident of York,,in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Mines, of which the following is a specification. 1

This invention is an improvementin submarine mines or torpedoes, and the invention has for an object to provide anovel method of placing the torpedo at the de: sired depth below the surface of the water and a novel construction whereby the mine is so placed; and the invention consists in the novel method and construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure l is an elevation of the parts showing the torpedo and connected'parts descending in the water. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts with the anchor at the bottom, and the torpedo and connected parts ascending, and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the torpedo in its ultimate position and stopped in such position by cotiperatin parts, the auxiliary or gage float being sIi surface of the water- Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the two part anchor with the paying-out device connected therewith and also shown in section, a portion of the torpedo being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a side view of the two part anchor and the paying-out device, the detent mechanism being shown in released position. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the opposite side of the paying out device from that shown in Fig. 5, and illustrating the brake mechanism for preventing the paying-out device from operat-' ing too freely. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view ofone of the keys for detachably securing the paying-out device to the anchor, and Fig. 8 IS a detail side elevation partly broken away, showing a modification of the detent mechanism illustrated in Fig. This invention relates to that class of torpedoes which are automatically placed at the desired depth below the surface after being launched from the vessel. Heretofore such torpedoes when launched are carried down by the anchor device and means are provided whereby the torpedo is checked or own as resting on the stoppedin its descent in its ultimate position. In other words, the torpedo is carried down to its ultimate position and remains there, the anchor device ordinarily continuing its descent until it reachesthe bottom of the sea or other water way. i

' My invention involves a new method and includes sinking the buoyant torpedo to a point below its predetermined ultimate depth and permitting the said torpedo to rise from said lower point and limiting the extent of its rise so that it is 'placed in its ultimate position by carrying it below said ultimate position and checking its ascending movement above said position when it reaches the desired level below the water sur face. This is an important'feature of my invention, and in carrying out this feature of my invention I prefer to employ a supplemental or gage fioat which operates in the manner more fully described hereinafter to secure a stoppage of the torpedo as it ascends from its lower level to its desired ultimate level below the surface of the water.

In carrying out the invention I employ in the construction shown a tor edo A, a two part anchor B, a paying-out evice C, and a supplemental or gage loat D, operating in connection with detent, mechanism to restrain the operation of the detent when the gage float is submerged, and to permit said detent to check the movement of the paying-- out device when the gage float reaches the surface of the water.

From the foregoing it will be noticed that my invention includes in connection with a buoyant torpedo, means for sinking the same, to a point below the predetermined level, means for automaticallyreleasing the torpedo to perinit'it to ascend by its buoyancy, and means controlling the extent of the ascension of the torpedo.

The anchor B is a two part anchor, havinga base B which may be dished in its upper side to receive the lower end of the section B, which section B slides relatively to the section B and upon vertical guide pins B secured to the section B" and operating in openings B in the section B 'and provided with cam portions B which operate upon keys B when the section B drops into the section B and move the said keys B laterally out of engagement with the dethence upwardly in connection with the upthe paying-out device are tapered gradually out device may freely rise from the two art pending bars C of the frame of the payingout device C, thus releasing the said payingout device and permitting the same to rise by the buoyancy of the torpedo A. The frame 0 of the paying-out device G has bearings for the shaft C of the drum 0*, the said drum receiving a line E, which extends per section B of the two part anchor.

- In connection with the drum I provide a brake shoe C operating upon a surface C, see Fig. 6 of the drawings, and actuated by a spring C, whose tension maybe adjusted by a screw C in order that the brake may be set to prevent the drum from paying-out the rope too freely, as the paying-out device 0 ascends with the buoyant torpedo A as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. I also use in connection with the paying-out device a detent in the form of a pawl F, operating upon a ratchet F, on the drum 0* and pressed normally into engagement with said ratchet by a spring F whose tension maybe adjusted by the bolt F This pawl F when in engagement with the ratchet F, will stop the paying-out of the rope E, and thus check the ascent of the torpedo A. During the ascending movement of the torpedo A, the

awl F is held out of engagement with the ratchet F by the auxiliary or gage float D, which has a line G connecting it with the pawl F, so that the lift exerted by the buoyancy of the gage float D will operate as shown in Fig. 2, to hold the pawl F clear of the ratchet F so that the drum may be freely revolved without regard to the pawl F. While the pawl F and the ratchet F are desirable in this connection, it is manifest other constructions might be employed, and I might employ the construction-shown in Fig. 8, in which a brake shoe H is arranged tooperate upon a brake surface H and may be pressed thereagainst with sufficient force to stop the-paying out of the line and to check the upward movement of the torpedo when the pull on the brake shoe by the gage float ceases as the said float reaches the surface of the water. I therefore, do not desire to be limited to any particular detent mechanism as various forms of detent mechanism might be devised and arranged to be restrained by the operation of the gage floatduring the ascending movement of the said gage float.

Aswill be understood from Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the depending bars C of the frame C of reducing toward their lower ends so that when the keys or bars B are adjusted out of the openings C in the bars C the payinganchor as it is lifted by the buoyancy o the torpedo A. Ishow the anchor as provided with a handle B and removable pins I fit in sockets in the sides of the sections B and rest upon the upper edge of the side flange B of the section B, and support the section B in the position shown in Fig. 4, preliminary to launching the mine in the water so the anchor can be rested upon the deck or other support with the keys B in the position shown in Fig. 4, without displacing said keys by the movement of the sections B along the cams B Of course, when the mine is about to be launched the pins I are removed and the bottom section B suspended by its bars B from the section B of the two part anchor. A slot or slots B may be provided in the flange B of the section B, and a groove B be provided in the section B in register with the'slot B for the introduction of a crow bar or other implement by which the section B may be pried upwardly from the section B when so desired. Encircling the drum C is a metal shield comosed of two semicylindrical sections J, hinged at their upper ends at J and bolted .together at J the said sections J being spaced apart sufliciently at their lower ends to permit the operation of the rope or cable, and this casing or shield operates to prevent the rope from fouling in any way, and being hinged at J, the section J may be opened whenever desired to permit inspection of the incased parts. The gage float D, should ordinarily have a displacement of from one hundred to one hundred. and fifty pounds, and may preferably'be made with a tube D running through it, through which the rope I) is passed and knotted at G above the float to give the desired distance between the gage float and the detent mechanism of the paying-out device, the length of the line G determining the depth of the torpedo A below the surface.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing in connection with the accompanying drawings. When the mine is launched it sinks toward the bottom with the parts in the position-shown in Fig. 1. When the anchor strikes the bottom, the top section B will drop down to the bottom piece B, and the cams B will push the bolts or keys B laterally outward and release the paying-out device which will be lifted by the buoyancy of the torpedo A, and the said torpedo A and the paying-out device will rise together with the gage float D which is above the said torpedo, and the buoyancy of this gage float D is suflicient to restrain the detent so the drum can revolve paying out the rope A and permitting the ascension of the torpedo A to be continued so long as the detent mechanism is held out of o erat-ion. When the float I) reaches the sur ace and ceases to exert its pull -on the rope G, the detent 'mechanism will be operated by the spring F to stop the revolution of the drum fetuses the torpedo wil thus be stopped at the desired point below the surface of the water depending upon the length of the line G,

which connects the gage float D with the de-.

tent mechanism of the paying-out device. After planting the mines 1n the desired locations, the floats D will indicate just where each mine is planted, and will give the operator a line on the work which has been done. After the planting is effected, a small boat canpass along the 'line' of floats D, and the knots G can becut of! letting the ropes G drop and the floats I) can all be picked up for subsequent use.

7 In operation it will be understood that when a harbor has been mined in expectation of an enemy thefloats D may be permitted to remain 011 the distance ropes G to indicate exactly the position of their respective torpedoes, and the floats can-remain so attached until the enemy actually approaches and when it is desired to dispose of the float-s asmall boat can run along the line of floats'and cut off the knots and lift the floats as before suggested, or if there is not suflicient time for this, bullets can be fired into the floats allowing them to sink. The floats D are also useful in the event of its being desirable to lift the torpedoes at any time, as the operator can take hold of the float and pull on its line G with suflicient force to raise the detent of the paying-out device, which will allow the rope on the drum to unwind and the torpedo to come to the surface when it can be lifted into the .vessel. The anchor can be then lifted out by the line E, as will be readily understood from the drawin s. The torpedo or mine proper A has su cient buoyancy to lift the paying-out device in the operation before described. I have not described any specific form of torpedo or mine proper A, as. anydesired form of torpedo or mine may be used in carrying out the invention as before described.

By the described construct-ion, it will be noticed the torpedo is. carried to the bottom and is then released and permitted to rise and is stopped at the right point below the surface of the water by the throwing of the detent pawl into the ratchet of the'drum, and this idea of stopping the mine at the desired point as it ascends from a lower point is an important feature-of my invention. I also regard as an important feature of my invention the provision of the gage float for determining the depth of a submerged torpedo, and I illustrate in the accompanying drawings a simple eflicient means for carrying out this feature of my invention.

I cla1m 1. A submarine mme comprising, abuoyant torpedo, an anchor therefor, a paying out devlcebetween the anchor and torpedo, and afloat operatin in connection with the paying-out device for regulating the ultimate depth of the torpedo.

2. A submarine mine comprising a buoyant torpedo, an anchor, a-paying-odt device between the mine andanchor, means for detachably securing the paying-out device in connection with the anchor and means for automatically detaching the paying-out device from the anchor.

3. A submarine mine comprising a buoyant torpedo, an anchor below the same, a paymg-out device between the anchor and the torpedo, and a gage float above the torpedo and operating upon the paying-out device whereby to 'regulate the ultimate depth of the torpedo.

4. The combination with a buoyant torpedo, and an anchor therefor, of a gage float. 5 above the torpedo, and means whereby the gage float may operate to regulate the ultimate depth of the torpedo.

5. A submarine mine comprising a buoyant torpedo, means for anchormg the same,

and a gage float above the torpedo and means whereby saidfloat operatesto regulate the ultimate depth of the torpedo.

6. A submarine mine comprising an anchor, a buoyant torpedo, a paying-out device between the torpedo and anchor, a detent to operate upon the paying-out device, and a gage float connected with the detent and operating to restrain the same when the said gage float is submerged.

7. A submarine mine comprising a buoyant torpedo, an anchor therefor, means for permittmg the'torpedo to ascend buoyantly fromthe anchor, and a gage floatv determining the extent of said ascent. 8. A submarlne mlne comprising a buoyant torpedo, an anchor therefor, a paying-- out device between the anchor and torpedo,

a gage float, and a cable comiecting the gage float with the paying-out device, and means operated upon by the gage float whereby the length of the cable w1ll determine the ultimate depth of the torpedo.

9. A submarine mine comprising a buoyant torpedo, an anchor therefor, a payingout device between the anchor and torpedo, means for detachably connecting the payingout device with the anchor, means for restraining'the operation of the paying-out device, and a gage float for holding said restraining means out of operative position.

10. A mine comprisingabuoyant torpedo,

' means for sinking the same to a' point below its desired level, means for permitting the ascent of the torpedo from said point, and means for automatically checking the ascent of the torpedo when its desired level is reached.

" the anchor, an

11. The combination of a buoyant torpedo, means below the redetermined level, means for= automatical y releasin the torpedo to permit it to ascend by its uoyancy, float above the torpedo and controlling the extent of its ascension.

the anchor, a detent for stopping the operation of the paying-out device, a gage fioat connected with said detent and adapted to restrain the same while the ga e float is submerged, and a buoyant torp 0 connected with the paying-out device and adapted to'lift the same by .its buoyancy, substantially as set' forth.

13. In a submerged mine, the combination with a buoyant torpedo, of a two part anchor therefor, a payin -out device having a line connected with said anchor, means for securing the paying-out device to the anchor, and means for releasing said payin -out device from the anchor and adapter? for operation by the relative movement of the parts of the anchor, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination in a mine of a paying-out device, an anchor therefor having laterally movable pins or bolts for securing the paying-out device, and cams for operating said pins or bolts to release the same from the paying-out device, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of a submerged torpedo, an anchor below the same and from which the torpedo may be automatically de; tached and permitted to rise by its buoyancy, and means for automatically checking such ascension of the torpedo.

16. The method of placing mines herein described which consists in sinking a buoyant torpedo to a point below its predetermined ultimate depth, automatically releasing the torpedo and permitting said torpedo to rise from said point, and automatically limiting the extent of its rise.

17. The combination of a buoyant torpedo, a weight or anchor by which to sink said torpedo to a point-below its predetermined level, means whereby to automatically detach the torpedo from the anchor, and permit the same to rise from said point, and

means whereby the upward movement of the torpedo will be stopped when it reaches the desired level. 18. The combination of a buoyant torpedo, an anchor, means detachably connecting said anchor with the torpedo whereby the anchor may sink the torpedo to a point below the ultimate level of the torpedo, means for automatically detaching said connections whereby the torpedo may rise from means operated from the for sinking the same to a point and a gage 12. The combination of an anchor, a pay-- lug-out device having a line connected with surface of the water whereby to effect the stoppage of the torpedo when'yit has reached its predetermined level.

19. The combmation of an anchor, a buo ant torpedo, means connecting the torpe o with the anchor whereby the latter as it sinks will carry the torpedo with it, and means for automatically releasing the torpedo from the anchor whereby the torpedo may rise from the anchor. I

20. The combination of an anchor, a buoyant torpedo, a paying-out device between the anchor and torpedo, and including a drum, a-ratchet in connection therewith, and a pawl normally engaging said ratchet, and a 'ga 'e float connected with said pawl, substantially as set forth. h

21. The combination of an anchor, a buoyant torpedo, a payin the anchor and torpe 0 including a drum and a ratchet in connection therewith, a pawl, a spring pressin said pawl normally into engagement varyin age oat connected with the pawl and adapted to resist by its buoyancy the spring which normally presses the pawl into engagement with its ratchet.

22. The combination of an anchor, a buoyant torpedo, a paying-out device between the torpedo and anchor, a detent for restraining the operation of the paying-out device, a spring operating upon said detent, and a gage and operating spring.

23. The combination of a buoyant torpedo, an anchor therefor, a gage float above the torpedo, and means float may operate to determine the ultimate depth of the torpedo without exerting a buoying lift thereon.

24. The combination with a submerged buoyant torpedo, of a supplemental or gage float by which to determine the depth of said torpedo, and means for retaining the torpedo at its determined depth, the said means being adapted to hold the torpedo at different distances above the bottom, substantially as set forth.

25.111 a submerged mine the combination with a torpedo, and a paying-out device,'of an anchor having two parts, means for connecting the paying-out device detachably with the anchor, and means whereby the relative movement of the parts of the anchor may operate to release the paying-out device.

26; In a submarine mine, an anchor having a base and a part or section above the base and movable relatively thereto, a paying-out device, a mine connected with said paying out device, means for detachably connecting the paying-out'device with the anchor, and means for releasing the payingthe same in opposition to its whereby the gage -out device between i with t e ratchet, means for the tension of said spring, anda out device from the anchor when the latter surface of the Water and automatically dereaczhe dsntihe b0tim.- f b termining the ultimate depth of thetorpedo.

2 e' 60m ination o a uoyant tor pedo, an anchor, a connection between the ALBERT BRQOMELL 5 anchor and torpedo and adapted to secure Witnesses:

'the torpedo at different distances from the ELLEN M. WELLE SIEK,

anchor, and a gage float operating from the SMYsEn WILLIAMS. 

